Favorite Martial Arts books?

Old Fat Kenpoka

Master Black Belt
Joined
May 20, 2003
Messages
1,045
Reaction score
39
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
Besides Ed Parker's "Infinite Insights into Kenpo" and "the Journey", what are everyone's 5 favorite Kenpo books? What are your 5 favorite non-Kenpo martial arts books?

My favorite Kenpo books besides IIIK and the Journey (in no particular order) are:
1) Steve Saunders Championship Kenpo (Love the basics, LOVE the haircuts)
2) Lee Wedlake's Further Insights into Kenpo (What Infinite Insights might have been with a really tough editor).
3) ???
4) ???
5) ???
Sorry, I haven't found any other good ones and would love your recommendations.

Also, has anyone read Steve Muhammad's new "BKF Kenpo" book just published this year?

My 5 favourite non Kenpo MA books (in no particular order are)
1) Bruce Lee Tao of Jeet Kune Do (A classic text and still a revolutionary approach)
2) Musashi Miyamoto A Book of Five Rings (The mind & spriit of the warrior)
3) Joe Hyams Zen in the Martial Arts (Finding peace while learning violence)
4) Renzo and Royler Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Theory and Technique (The first 25 pages of text on history and theory turned my world upside down)
5) Renzo Gracie Mastering Ju Jitsu (Bringing together standup, clinch, & ground fighting into a comprehensive combat strategy)
 
K

Kirk

Guest
1. Kenpo 101 - Lee Wedlake
2. Kenpo 201 - Lee Wedlake
3. Kenpo Karate...The Art Of Spontaneity - Sascha Williams
4. Tao Of Jeet Kune Do
5. ???

Other than the Journey and II .. those are the only ones I own. I don't even really like no. 4, but that's all I gots right nah.
 
T

twinkletoes

Guest
Ooooh, lemme see....

1) Tao of JKD (ok, ok I know)
2) Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere
3) Modern Arnis (pink book) by Remy Presas

4 and 5 are reserved until Roy Harris and Matt Thornton finish the books they are working on :) I anticipate that they will jump up this list when they come out.

~TT
 

Big Pat

Orange Belt
Joined
Nov 26, 2002
Messages
86
Reaction score
3
Location
San Diego County
All Kenpoists should read Martial Arts America-A Western approach to Eastern Arts by Mr. Bob Orlando. Mr. Orlando dedicates the book to Mr. Parker with the following statement: " Although a long-time admirer of Ed Parker, I have never been a student of his or his AMERICAN KENPO KARATE. Few, however have influenced my martial arts thinking as much as he. He is gone now, and the martial arts community is poorer for it. I can only hope that those who continue to carry his flame do so in the same spirit as he".
Something that we should all remember when we partake in his art.

EKP RIP
Big Pat
:asian:
 
P

progressivetactics

Guest
American Free style Karate-----I forgot who wrote that......oh wait.....Dr.....hmmm.......anyways.

also, Making of a martial artist, Sang Kyu Shim.
 

Randy Strausbaugh

Master Black Belt
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
1,049
Reaction score
16
Location
Ohio
Favorite Kenpo books:
Kenpo Karate - Law of the Fist and Empty Hand
Kenpo 201
Championship Kenpo
What Is Self Defense (Kenpo Jiu Jitsu)
Quantum Kenpo

Favorite Non-Kenpo MA books:
The Book of Five Rings (Clary trans.)
Karate-do Kyohan
Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals
Body Mechanics of T'ai Chi Ch'uan
How To Be An ***-Whipping Boxer

Trying to avoid life's potholes,
Randy Strausbaugh
 

Big Pat

Orange Belt
Joined
Nov 26, 2002
Messages
86
Reaction score
3
Location
San Diego County
Mr. Bob Orlando's first book was - Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals: The Brutal Art of the Archipeligo {Paladin}. His background is in Chinese Kenpo-Karate and Kung Fu under Mr. Al Dacacos. He has recently produced a two tape set that was reported on in Black Belt magazine.

EKP RIP
Big Pat
:asian:
 

Matt

Black Belt
Joined
Jun 2, 2003
Messages
511
Reaction score
19
Location
Cape Cod
Here's a couple I enjoy:

Secrets of Chinese Karate - By Ed Parker, just for fun.

Okinawan Kenpo, by Choki Motobu. If you can get a copy, there's some killer techniques in there.

As for the non-kenpo books,

Attack Proof by John Perkins. Read it - he's on to something.

-Matt
 

Latest Discussions

Top